Robert Downey Jr.'s Net Worth Might Impress Tony Stark
Robert Downey Jr.
After more than a decade as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. laid his superhero to rest (or so it seemed) with Avengers: Endgame (2019), wrapping an incredibly lucrative run that helped him amass an enormous net worth.
More recently, reports have surfaced that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in talks to bring Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark back into the fold. Although the Oppenheimer actor has said he'd only return under one condition—that he be afforded the time to work on "other stuff"—his re-emergence in the franchise seems like an actual possibility.
If nothing else, a reprisal would certainly be a smart financial move for Downey Jr., who ranked as Forbes’ highest paid actor several years in a row during his time as Iron Man. Exactly how much did he make from the MCU?
Read on for a closer look at Downey Jr.'s superhero salary, his other big paydays and more.
Related: 'Oppenheimer' Will Be Streaming Before You Know It: Here's When and Where to Watch
How did Robert Downey Jr. become famous?
The son of actor-filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. and actress Elsie Ann Downey, Robert Downey Jr. grew up in the industry. He appeared in small roles in some of his father’s films as a child, including Pound (1970) and Greaser’s Palace (1972), and eventually dropped out of high school to pursue acting more seriously.
After a critically panned year on SNL in 1985, he landed roles in The Pick-up Artist (1987), Less Than Zero (1987), Chances Are (1989) and Soapdish (1991), before finally receiving an Academy Award nomination for playing Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin (1992).
Downey Jr. continued a successful career run until the mid-to-late ‘90s, when he was repeatedly arrested on drug charges and his life began to spiral out of control.
“Anyone who can’t go five minutes without a cigarette, or can’t stop drinking or is strung out on drugs, knows that after a while there develops an attachment to the ritual of using it that has little to do with your original motive,” Downey Jr. explained to Parade years later. “The original impetus was to feel its effect, and the effect seemed positive at the time.”
Downey Jr., who'd infamously become uninsurable by studios, struggled to find roles into the early 2000s. After another arrest in 2001 and a rehab stint, he finally got sober and was cast in Elton John’s “I Want Love Music Video.” But it took a friend going out on a limb to get him back into film. Mel Gibson, Downey Jr.’s Air America (1990) co-star, paid the younger actor’s insurance bond so that they could appear in The Singing Detective (2003) together. From there, the former party boy slowly began to rebuild his career with movies like Gothika (2003), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and Zodiac (2007).
Everything changed when Iron Man (2008) came out and the Marvel Cinematic Universe took off with Downey Jr. at the center of it all.
What is Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth?
Robert Downey Jr.’s estimated net worth is $300 million as of 2023, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How much did Robert Downey Jr. make for Iron Man?
Downey Jr. made about $2.5 million for Iron Man, according to The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies. Other estimates have put his fee lower, but Downey Jr. has never revealed his exact earnings for the first film.
According to many trade publications, his contract with Marvel offered him a payday that combined an upfront fee and a backend deal which awarded him a percentage of the film’s box office earnings. That made for a truly incomparable deal as the franchise gained popularity over the years.
As Tony Stark, he appeared in Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). By the final Avengers film, Downey Jr. had become one of the biggest stars on Earth.
How much did Robert Downey Jr. make for The Avengers?
Downey Jr. made about $50 million for The Avengers, according to GQ. The whopping payday was a combination of his upfront salary for the movie and his backend earnings, contingent on The Avengers’ massive box-office haul.
How much did Robert Downey Jr. make for Spider-Man: Homecoming?
Downey Jr. made around $5 million per day for three days of work for his appearance as Peter Parker’s mentor in Spider-Man: Homecoming, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That puts his payday at about $15 million upfront (he likely made more in backend earnings).
How much did Robert Downey Jr. make for Avengers: Endgame?
Downey Jr. made around $75 million for Avengers: Endgame, according to Forbes. He was most likely paid around $20 million upfront and then earned the rest in backend points after the astronomical box-office success. With a revenue of more than $2.79 billion, Endgame is the second highest-earning movie of all time at the worldwide box office in terms of total lifetime grosses, according to Box Office Mojo, and trails only behind Avatar (2009).
How much did Robert Downey Jr. make for Dolittle?
Downey Jr. made about $20 million for Dolittle, according to Variety. Despite the hefty payday (and the fact that his wife, Susan Downey, was a co-producer on the project), the movie was a flop and failed to launch a new franchise. "I had some reservations," Downey Jr. told The New York Times Magazine, looking back on Dolittle. "Me and my team seemed a little too excited about the deal and not quite excited enough about the merits of the execution."
How much did Robert Downey Jr. make for Oppenheimer?
Downey Jr. was paid $4 million for Oppenheimer, according to Variety. Supporting co-stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt were reportedly paid the same, and all three had backend deals built in, so Oppenheimer’s box-office success might mean a higher payday across the board.
How much does Robert Downey Jr. make per movie?
Downey Jr.’s track record has proven that he can command up to $20 million upfront for a big-budget movie these days, but he has also shown that he will take a smaller salary in the low millions for a project he truly believes in.
Next, From Chaplin to Iron Man, These Are Robert Downey Jr.’s Best Movie Roles
